Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
May 18, 2017

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has boosted its ability to protect patients from food-borne illnesses with the introduction of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system.

The internationally recognized management system focuses on ensuring food products are safe to eat by reducing the risk of safety hazards in food. It functions through the use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which staff members are trained to adhere to at all times.

Coordinator, Cheri Elcock explained: “HACCP is a control process whereby physical, chemical, biological and allergenic hazards which may occur in the food production process are identified and actions are put in place to prevent these hazards from occurring. It is not a zero-risk system but minimizes the risk of food safety hazards.”

She stressed the importance of monitoring and documentation of the process. “The process is monitored by the supervisory staff. Documentation is instrumental to the process, with the majority of SOPs containing associated records which must be completed and reviewed daily.”

The HACCP designation was an important achievement for the QEH, Elcock explained, because the institution caters to vulnerable groups like the elderly, the very young, pregnant women and persons who had low immune defences because of illness.

“These persons are at increased risk of food-borne infection or illness. Therefore we are responsible for ensuring they are protected from food poisoning caused by bacteria. HACCP does this as it takes a preventative approach to ensuring food safety,” she added.

The HACCP training, which began in February 2016, lasted just over a year. The hospital staff was guided through the certification process by consultants Cheryl Collymore and Dr Glyn Williams of C&G International Inc. Subsequent training was completed by Cheri Elcock and Tracia Layne.

The training was geared towards all food services staff members and those who worked closely with food services within the QEH, including engineering staff, the Oversight Committee and the HACCP team.

The official process ended on March 14 with an external audit which qualified the QEH for the international designation.

May I offer my congratulations to those in the food purchase, prep, delivery,mand storage aspects. HACVP. Is the bedrock standard.

However, since I lost my dad to “cardio-pulmonary complication” ( pneumonia) when he entered there with only a gangrenous toe, I would ask, please, that such such efforts continue to effectively managing vector controls. You won’t have look too far: four serotypes of dengue; chicunga; Zika etc etc.

May I offer my congratulations to those in the food purchase, prep, delivery,mand storage aspects. HACVP. Is the bedrock standard.
However, since I lost my dad to “cardio-pulmonary complication” ( pneumonia) when he entered there with only a gangrenous toe, I would ask, please, that such such efforts continue to effectively managing vector controls. You won’t have look too far: four serotypes of dengue; chicunga; Zika etc etc.
Don’t ease up please